Vinsko The Country Cluber- Insensitive During This Crisis

If Congressman Lou Barletta put out a press release like this one the local media would be all over him. Pundits local and afar would be chastizing him for insensitivity in this time of such devastation and destruction to homes and lives in Northeastern Pennsylvania.   He would be called a rich country cluber.

The Citizen's Voice announced on the VINSKO COCKTAIL PARTY.

The Bill Vinsko for Congress Committee will host a cocktail party from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Wyoming Valley Country Club, Hanover Township. Tickets are $125 per person. For information and tickets, call (well you didn't think I would really publish the number did you?).

Nice timing Attorney Vinsko. While he is enjoying the caviar and martinis at the Club people a few miles away have no heat, electricity, water, or sewer.  Kanjorski built a campaign around Frank Harrison's junket while the giardiasis crisis hit the region.  Look's like Tropical Storm Lee may show Vinsko what happened to General Lee in Gettysburg.







BTW Mr. Vinsko, this one is on me.  Why don't you have the mandatory federal disclaimer notice at the end of this political ad?  One would think an attorney would be up on federal laws concerning campaign notices but then again anyone who is part of Tom Leighton's machine seems to be able to skirt those laws.

Biden, Clinton, Car 54 Where Are You!!!

August, 2008 Now Vice President Joe Biden told us how his childhood left a lasting impression.

Joe Biden left blue-collar, bare-knuckles Scranton for the greener pastures of Delaware when he was only 10 years old. But Scranton, it turns out, left an indelible impression on him. Barack Obama's running mate has returned again and again to the city of his youth, where he attended grammar school at St. Paul's, learned politics at his Irish-Catholic grandfather's knee, and made friendships that have lasted 60 years. He's such a familiar presence here and in the Philadelphia media market -- which includes Delaware, his political base for more than 35 years -- that he's known as Pennsylvania's third senator.

That may be one reason Biden's on the Democratic ticket. In choosing a lunch-bucket Democrat, Obama hopes to capitalize on Biden's appeal to the socially conservative, working-class voters who populate Scranton and many other regions of Pennsylvania. Named for the late governor from Scranton, so-called "Casey Democrats" are a critical voting bloc -- and they largely spurned Obama in the primary, handing Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton a 10-point victory.

March, 2008 Hilary Clinton returns to her roots in Scranton.

Hillary Clinton begins her six-week siege of Pennsylvania today with an afternoon rally in Scranton, where her rough-hewn father, Hugh Rodham, was born to Welsh immigrants almost 97 years ago. Once a major mining community, the city now is best known as the setting television types picked for NBC's sitcom "The Office." Scranton, nestled in state's northeast corner, has embraced this reflected glory; as noted in a New York Times article last year, the publicity is a welcome change for a city "whose name never seemed to appear in print without the words 'hardscrabble former coal-mining town.' "

Paul Kanjorski thumps his chest over what he did for Wilkes Barre and the levee system. He failed to acknowledge the devastation and destruction the citizens are presently suffering at the fate of Tropical Storm Lee downstream because of that same system. Instead this tragedy was all about him.

Wilkes Barre gives thanks to God, Levees and Paul Kanjorski.

And Todd Eachus protege Edddie Day Pashinski had this to say.

But everyone should be thankful that it never failed, said state Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, who represents the city. "I hope that people take a moment tonight and say a prayer and thank the Lord that that dike held," Mr. Pashinski said. "Those of you that experienced 1972 know what kind of devastation we experienced in Wilkes-Barre and throughout the entire valley. Ladies and gentlemen, we dodged a major bullet."

Oh yeah?  Ask the residents in West Pittston and Duryea if they feel like they "dodged the bullet".  How about West Nanticoke??  Downtown Shickshinny look below:

Flood ravages Shickshinny.
Doesn't look like the representative knows what dodging the bullet means.  The bullet wasn't dodged Mr. Pashinski; it was fired at other communities.

And pandering Tom Leighton had this to say about Paul Kanjorski.

Mayor Tom Leighton ordered an evacuation of homes in flood zones near the river and the unpredictable creeks that run through the city. About 20,000 people fled as Wilkes-Barre prepared for a worst-case scenario similar to the wrath of Agnes, which flooded the city from River Street to Wilkes-Barre Boulevard almost 40 years ago. Had the city sustained a similar flood, the waters would not only have devastated homes, but also would have closed businesses that employ the 15,000 people who comprise the state's fourth-largest downtown workforce, Mr. Leighton said. But that never happened, thanks in part to former U.S. Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski's work to raise the levee system in the Wyoming Valley, Mr. Leighton said. "Without his hard work in Washington over the years, this valley would have been ruined," Mr. Leighton said.

Let's get back to the beginning of this post.

Where is Joe Biden and Hilary Clinton in this crisis? I know where Lou Barletta and Tom Marino are. Nough Said.

Vinsko's Mess- River Road or Railroad

Today's Times Leader features this article by veteran reporter Jennifer Learn-Andes reporting that Wilkes Barre (aka Tom Leighton's Cook County Version) was rescinding its controversial deal with Leo Glodizk III to sell him the former Old River Road Bakery.

The city is expected to appear before the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board today seeking forgiveness of more than $445,000 in back taxes on the property so it won’t be listed in a September back-tax auction.

School board members said no to the request once, in part due to public complaints about the handling of the sale to Glodzik.

The city did not publicly advertise the property to ensure it obtained the highest offer from prospective buyers. Glodzik, owner of LAG Towing, the city’s towing contractor, has donated $10,400 to city Mayor Tom Leighton’s campaign committee since 2005.

Leighton has said in the past that political donations have no bearing on city business. The mayor also said other buyers had expressed interest in the property, but none were willing to pay close to the $38,000 offered by Glodzik.

Take a look at that picture and convince yourself that the building and property aren't worth more than $38,000.00. It was assessed at $478,300.00.

Sources close to SOP tell us that Attorney Vinsko failed to file papers on time in this matter leading to the current situation.

Leo Glodzik III of L.A.G Transport Inc, a staunch Leighton political supporter, wanted to use the property as storage for his towing business.

A federal lawsuit was filed in Scranton back in 2009 over this property as described in this Times Leader article by Terri Morgan-Besecker.

Tyler and Antonia Hammond claim Leighton and Vinsko took steps to deprive them and other persons of the right to purchase the property at 250 Old River Road so that it could be sold to a person who was a private client of Leighton’s real estate business and Vinsko’s law firm.

The suit, filed Tuesday in federal court in Scranton by attorney Cynthia Pollick, does not identify the person to whom the property was sold. But details contained in the suit indicate it revolves around the sale of the defunct bakery to Leo Glodzik III of L.A.G Transport Inc.

Glodzik recently purchased the property for $38,000 to house a storage facility for his towing business. Luzerne County had assessed the 1.14-acre property at $478,300.

Wilkes Barre City is asking for the Wilkes Barre Area School Board to forgive $445, 000.00 in back taxes owed on the property. Or is the translation Leighton is asking the school board to forgive $445, 000.00 in back taxes so he can get Vinsko off the hook and sell the property to his political buddy, Leo Glodzik, III.

It should be worth noting that the City of Wilkes Barre enforced liens it had on the Hotel Sterling project against CityVest according to this TL article by Jennifer Learn-Andes back on June 21. Ask Wilkes Barre Area to do what the Wilkes Barre City wouldn't. Hmmmmm

Tammany Hall..lets see...

Mitchell And Kanjorski Enjoy Heads In The Sand

In a feeble attempt to recover from headlines regarding Kanjorski requesting campaign contributions from those he regulates Ed Mitchell and Paul Kanjorski tried to deflect the criticism with attacks on Lou Barletta as Mayor of Hazleton in today's Times Leader.

What has obviously become their game plan for the fall Mitchell pointed to the financial problems Hazleton is facing at the moment. Is Hazleton facing financial problems now? Yes. Has Hazleton faced financial problems in the past? Yes. Is it likely Hazleton will face problems in the future? Maybe.

What Mitchell and Kanjorski have their heads stuck in the sand about is the fact that all over his district municipality after municipality are facing fire financial straits. Here are some of the recent tough decisions that elected officials had to make in just a few municipalities and counties in the 11th Congressional District.

Scranton:

Scrantonians would not face a tax increase under a 2010 budget released Friday, but holding that line would be balanced against city job cuts and increased parking meter rates.

"Obviously, we're in the midst of a recession," Mayor Chris Doherty said. "We don't want to increase taxes if we don't have to."

Overall, spending would decrease from $78.6 million in 2009 to $77.8 million under the new plan, so the pain avoided by property owners must be spread elsewhere.

Twenty-seven jobs would be eliminated under the budget, Business Administrator Stu Renda said, including five Department of Public Works jobs, eight vacant Fire Department positions and six positions related to the Single Tax Office.

Parking meter rates, meanwhile, would be increased from 25 cents per half hour to 50 cents, and the initial parking meter fine would increase from $10 to $20.. - Scranton Times, Nov. 14, 2009

WILKES-BARRE

Over the past four and a half years, my administration has made staffing cuts in every department, reduced spending and prioritized our goals to fit within the constraints of the budget. We have decreased the number of employees in administrative positions, while increasing the number of police officers on our streets. We have tightened our belts and done more with less.- Mayor Tom Leighton's 2009 Budget Address

It was Paul Kanjorski's PAC, Citizens For Action, that gave Mayor Tom Leighton $20,000.00 in campaign contributions for his race against Rep. John Yudichak. Donations are signs you support a candidate and his actions. Evidently Kanjorski has no problem with Leighton's layoffs but wants to take a hypocritical position with respect to Barletta.

DUNMORE

For months, Dunmore borough officials warned layoffs could be looming as a necessary cost-savings measure in the cash-strapped borough.

Those warnings became reality as council laid off both full- and part-time employees and consolidated positions, and combined some duties, which they said should save the borough about $146,000.

"One of the hardest things I've ever had to do was lay off people," council President Timothy Burke said, addressing the layoffs at a special council meeting Monday.

The Department of Public Works lost five employees - two full-time and three part-time, said Paul Nardozzi, DPW liaison and council vice president.- Scranton Times, Jan. 13, 2010

STROUDSBURG

Borough council members blamed rising costs and plummeting revenues for the 3.5-mill property tax increase in the proposed 2010 Stroudsburg budget on Wednesday night.
The municipal tax rate will increase from the 2009 level of 35.5 mills to 39 mills next year if the borough council votes to adopt the budget at the next scheduled meeting on Dec. 17
- "Stroudsburg proposes 2010 budget with increased taxes," Pocono Record, Dec. 3, 2009

Luzerne County has raised taxes.

The common denominator is that Paul Kanjorski represents all of these communities. Maybe it is federal actions or inactions that have helped to burden these municipalities.

Shawn Kelly, Communications Coordinator of the Barletta For Congress campaign makes the following assessment:

"Is Kanjorski is out of touch, or he is again stretching the facts to win an election?

"Maybe Kanjorski should take a lesson from Mayor Barletta and other elected officials in his district – unlike Congress, they don't spend money they don't have. When they have to lay off employees, they do so reluctantly; they don't hire more government workers the way Washington does.

"It's time for Kanjorski to stop attacking and start helping the municipalities and citizens of Northeastern Pennsylvania."

Did Eachus Make Himself Vulnerable?

House Majority Leader Todd Eachus spent time away from constituent work to campaign for Tom Leighton. Evidently the Grand Jury was right in its recommendations about government reform in Pennsylvania. If Eachus has enought time to campaign for Leighton instead of performing consituent work while he was back in his district maybe his position isn't really all that important.

Mayor Leighton was running against Rep. John Yudichak, a member of the House Democratic Caucus for the senate seat in the 14th district created when Senator Ray Musto announced his retirement earlier this year. Eachus is leader of that caucus. Both Yudichak and Eachus are members of the Northeast PA Democratic Caucus.

Acoording to this article by Robert Swift from November, 2008 Yudichak and Eachus at one time worked in unison as part of the Northeast delegation.

But there is something in that article that is germane to the picture above. Bill DeWeese was mad as hell when then Democrat Tom Stish switched to Republican which changed the balance of power in the Pennsylvania House. He enocuraged a young Todd Eachus to run for the seat against Stish. Of course Eachus won. Basically over a defection DeWeese intended Stish's defeat as an object lesson on the perils of party- switching for incumbent lawmakers.

At 48 one would think Eachus should have kept that life lesson in mind. Just as the Leighton supporter trashed his sign did Eachus trash himself by going out front for Leighton within his own party?

It is no secret that Yudichak didn't support DeWeese or Eachus for leadership positions within the Harrisburg caucus. Yudichak supported Rep. Frank Dermody from western Pennsylvania in an attempt to break with "business as usual" in Harrisburg. From Robert Swift's article:

Yudichak voiced concern Monday that Eachus' election would mean a continuation of the legacy of current Majority Leader Bill DeWeese, D-50, and former House Minority Whip Michael Veon of Beaver County. During the past weekend, DeWeese dropped out of the heated race for the majority leader's post and threw his support behind Eachus.

The ongoing Bonusgate investigation into whether lawmakers and staffers illegally did campaign work on public time has cast a shadow over the leadership elections.

Veon is among 12 individuals associated with the Democratic caucus who have been charged with theft and conspiracy in connection with the Bonusgate probe by the state attorney general's office.

Yudichak is among a dozen Democratic lawmakers who called for Mr. DeWeese to step down as majority leader after those indictments last summer.

Yudichak also supports the candidacy of Rep. Keith McCall, D- 122, of neighboring Carbon County for House Speaker.

Yudichak was right on the money with what he saw in the Democratic caucus. He was replaced as chairman of the Northeast Caucus by Neal Goodman. In this document from the Bonusgate trial Jennifer Brubaker is caught writing this email about John Yudichak to Vicki DiLeo, frequent players in the Bonusgate scam to do political campaign work on the taxpayer dime. Go to page 7. "Yudichak is not exactly the type of guy I would want to work with." She was talking about the executive director position of the Northeast PA delegation.

In this article it is more than apparent that Brubaker was a Veon disciple.

According to Mr. Lawrence, office director Jennifer Brubaker said to him, "'You didn't lift a finger for Veon, and I don't need to keep you around if you aren't going to support our guys getting elected."

Eachus unilaterally paid off Mike Veon's campaign debt. The Tribune-Review reported Thursday that three of the four top leaders of the House Democratic Campaign Committee said they didn't know about the payments toward the Veon campaign's debt. Reps. Joe Preston, Dan Frankel and Jennifer Mann -- apparently had no knowledge of the two payments. How he squares that action with acting in a responsible and ethical manner is a huge question only he can answer.

In the race between Leighton and Yudichak Paul Kanjorski was convinced to contribute $20,000.00 to Leighton's campaign. Eachus made a taping for Robo calls on behalf of Leighton. The full course press was on and failed. They thought they had a hockey power play and lost. They convinced themselves that their seniority and positions were unbeatable. One has to wonder whether this will be their office after the November elections.

Some Number Crunching In The PA 116th And The US 11th

Using this Pennsylvania government website one can ascertain what municipalities comprise a legislative district. Todd Eachus represents the 116th district- Hazleton, Hazle Township, Butler Township, Freeland Boro, Black Creek Township, Conyngham Boro, Foster Township, Jeddo Boro, Sugarlaof Township, West Hazleton Boro, and White Haven Borough.

Gary Visgaitis, graphics artist award winner for the Times Leader put this graph together for his reading audience that lists the voter registrations by municipalities.

The PA 116th voter registration comprises 18,618 Democrats and 11,932 Republicans. According to the Luzerne County vote tally link on the right 30.81 percent of the Democrats registered voted in Luzerne County and 29.81 percent of the Republicans registered voted in this primary.

There is no reason to believe that those percentages varied widely among municipalities. If one multiplies the number of registered voters by the respective percentages that turned out at the polls it tells an interesting tale. Eachus received 3,655 out of the approximately 5,736(18,618 times 30.81 percent or .3081) that cast ballots on the Democratic side or around 63.72 percent. That means that 36 percent of the voters on the Democratic side skipped him on the ballot.

Likewise Tara Toohil, Eachus's opponent in November, received 2,764 out of the approximately 3,512 (11,932 times 29.81 percent or .2981) that cast ballots on the Republican side or around 78.7 percent. For a newcomer only 21 percent skipped her on the ballot.

Those stats spell trouble for the House Majority Leader who should be able to garner a heck of alot more votes due to his leadership position. Of course it is no secret that Eachus lost touch with his constituents and lost their trust with the per diems, owning a second home in Harrisburg, and his association with Robert Powell. His bold move against John Yudichak and extreme loss by Tom Leighton whom he openly supported only spells further erosion of any juice he might have.

It clearly demonstrates he is in trouble in Harrisburg. Bill DeWeese won his renomination bid. Last time we checked DeWeese and Eachus were at each other's throat over lawyer confidentiality in Bonusgate. We're pretty sure Yudichak will be returning to Harrisburg with a few unpleasant memories that he will want to address.

If you really want to see a disturbing number for candidates click on the Lackawanna County link to the right. Out of 40,217 registered Democrats who actually cast ballots in this primary on a total of 24, 122 voted for either Kelly, O'Brien, or Paul Kanjorski. That is an undervote of almost 40 percent.

If you click on the Monroe County link and go down to the "Representative in Congress 11th Congressional District" then click on "View by Precinct" Kanjorski and Barletta's vote count are side by side. Look at the numbers. Paul, things aren't looking too good for you in November.

Leighton vs. Leighton

From the Times Leader, same issue:

Yudichak turns back Leighton

Flyers ride Leighton to victory

Did you ever get the sense Tom wishes he was Michael?

Yudichak Over Leighton

In the 14th Senatorial District SOP is predicting that State Representative John Yudichak will win handily over challenger Mayor Tom Leighton. Leighton should (Bill) brace for the loss.

Voter turnout is extremely light. In West Hazleton only 200 voters have made it to the polls so far.

Mayor Leighton vs. Mayor Barletta

According to general election results in 2007 on file in Luzerne County Tom Leighton received 4,625 votes out of 7,053 cast or 65.57% of the vote. Mayor Lou Barletta received 3,530 out of 3,964 cast of 89.05% of the vote.

Leighton's salary- $90,000+
Barletta's salary- $58,000

Leighton's pension- close to $1 million
Barletta's pension- $0.00 (Hazleton does not provide a pension to any elected official)

Todd Eachus Robo Calls For Tom Leighton

Todd Eachus just left a robo call on the answering machine asking for voters to vote for Tom Leighton. He said he needs a working partner. If John Yudichak wins the nomination today Eachus will need a lot of working partners in Harrisburg. As House Majority Leader how is he going to square up with his caucus that he abandoned a fellow elected representative in favor of a Mayor from Wilkes Barre?

One would think that a Tuesday robo call is in desperation. Anyone in politics knows that voters have their minds made up by now.

Of course Eachus's camp are not the brightest bunch in politics. His assistant circulated and signed petitions for Tom Leighton although he doesn't live in the 14th Senatorial District. The petitions were voided. Shouldn't the House Majority Leader and his staff know the rules about petition circulation?

At a recent rally in Hazle Township attended by Eachus, Paul Kanjorski, and Tom Leighton Eachus made the claim that he cleaned up Harrisburg after the Bonusgate charges came down. Evidently making Bonusgate defendent Bill DeWeese his Whip is the way he sees cleaning things up.

Eachus also paid off Bonusgate convicted Mike Veon's $40,000 campaign debt in 2007.

Isn't there something sardonic in the term "House Cleaning"? Guess it isn't the white glove inspection that matters.

Leighton Worker Campaigns In Front of Lou Barletta Headquarters

There is no secret in the political world that Tom Leighton and John Yudichak have been battling hard for the senate seat after Senator Ray Musto announced his retirement in the 14th district. Leighton has been campaigning side by side with Todd Eachus even to the point that they parked by Mayor Lou Barletta's house in the Terrace section of Hazleton as a sort of "poke in the eye" strategy.

As John Yudichak has reiterated throughout the campaign and quoted in this Standard Speaker article "The mayorLeighton) at the end here was making some wild allegations and trying to intimidate me and bully me as he has done with citizens here in the city of Wilkes-Barre who criticize him," Yudichak said.

Here is a picture of a campaign worker holding a Leighton sign in front of Barletta's campaign headquarters in downtown Hazleton. Todd Eachus's office is directly across the street. It appears Leighton wants to misinform the public that Barletta supports him by having this person campaign on the side of the street where Barletta's office is located, not Eachus's office. Typical Leighton and Eachus bully tactic.

Leighton Campaigns With Todd Eachus In Hazleton

In the Terrace section of Hazleton Tom Leighton walked with Todd Eachus trying to persuade people to vote for them on Tuesday. It is an interesting combination given the attacks and statements made by Leighton during his campaign for Senator of the 14th district.

Here is an excerpt from Leighton's campaign announcement speech.

As many Pennsylvanians were, I was angered and frustrated by the 101 day state budget impasse last year. In these tough economic times, cities require every bit of funding available to us which often is supplied by the state government. As mayor, I personally saw how the failure to reach a compromise agreement hurt cities like Wilkes-Barre.

In this article from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Brad Bumsted quotes Grant Oliphant.

"It is unconscionable that both sides cannot seem to find middle ground in order to pass a new budget," Grant Oliphant, president and CEO of The Pittsburgh Foundation, said yesterday. "Increasing numbers of families and individuals depend on social- and human-services support for their very survival, and I am deeply worried that it is going to take a tragedy to bring our state leaders to a compromise."

State Rep. Rosemarie Swanger had this to say about Todd Eachus's sincerity on finding a solution.

“As a member of the General Assembly and elected official, I want to apologize to the people of my district and of Pennsylvania for the embarrassing events that took place yesterday at the state Capitol.

“The House was called into session this morning just after eleven o’clock. Slightly more than an hour later, Speaker of the House Keith McCall (D-Carbon) gaveled out session after a motion to adjourn offered by House Majority Leader Todd Eachus (D-Luzerne).

“What took place today was a complete waste of taxpayers’ time and money, considering there being no budget in place to start the fiscal year and no budget placed on the voting by House Democrats for our chamber to consider..

Evidently not only has Leighton lossed his hair but his memory must be running on low. Todd Eachus was squarely in the middle of those stalled negotiations he is talking about.

If Mr. Leighton wants to know why the impasse occured he only needs to look at his own party and the man he walked beside today.

Pennsylvania House Democrats voice budget complaints to leaders
By The Associated Press
September 29, 2009, 10:57P

A deal to end Pennsylvania’s state budget impasse ran into resistance from Democrats in the state House tonight, raising fresh doubts about whether it can attract enough votes to pass.

Majority Leader Todd Eachus, D-Luzerne, said after a 4-hour closed-door caucus meeting in the state Capitol that he would bring up a bill to tax the extraction of natural gas, an unusual move given that such a tax was not a part of the deal he announced more than a week ago with Gov. Ed Rendell and the state Senate.

Rank-and-file House Democrats told leaders they opposed critical pieces of that 11-day-old deal, including subjecting certain arts events to the state sales tax, expanding gas drilling on state land and taxing small games of chance.

This article in the Times Tribune highlights the per diems paid to House Members including Todd Eachus as a result of the budget impasse.

Among the Northeast delegation, House Majority Leader Todd Eachus, D-116, Hazleton, and House Speaker Keith McCall, D-122 Summit Hill, led the pack, taking $10,611 and $7,988 in per diems respectively. How can Tom Leighton attack John Yudichak on per diems but walk side by side with Todd Eachus? How can he bring up John Yudichak's partial ownership of a home in Harrisburg(that has since been divested) yet ignore Eachus's wholly owned second home in Harrisburg? If that isn't a demonstration of lack of principles nothing is.

Rendell and Leighton- A Donation Come True

A poster put a comment on this article about Mayor Tom Leighton. SOP commented on the $5,000.00 donation the Committee To Election Tom Leighton made to Governor Rendell in 2008. According to this document which is a phone directory of key office people located in the Governor's office there is a listing for Kelly Leighton, daughter of Tom Leighton. It's amazing what a $5,000.00 donation will do with a wink and a nod.

Leighton And The Volunteers of America

Back in 2006 Tom Leighton was caught up in a real estate transaction involving the Volunteers of America. The organization purchased a building from North River Associates and Robert E. Marsh where Leighton's real estate business garnered a $51,500 commission. Luzerne County Commissioner Steve Urban questioned the transaction but Leighton dismissed his concerns as "pure politics" because Urban's wife was running against Leighton.

From the Wilkes Barre Politicial Scene archive

The problem is, according to Urban noted in an article in Aug 21 Times Leader, that the Mayor's Realty Company--CA Lehighton Real Estate--received $51,500 in commissions when the building was purchased in August 2006 from North River Associates and Robert E. Marsh, Jr. Urban noted that there is a clause from county procedures that are supposed to be followed in all federally funded community development projects. The clause lists those who cannot have an interest--direct or indirect--in these projects. This includes any member of a governing body of the locality in which the program is situated. Urban interprets this to mean the Mayor of Wilkes-Barre.

County officials disputed Urban's claims saying that Lehighton is not covered by this clause as it is a county project.

Say what you want but Urban is on to something here. This blog has been on the record many months ago asking the lazy and Lehighton friendly press to look at Lehighton's real estate dealings during his mayorality. They have not done so and will not because the local press walks in lock step with Chamber of Commerce and Lehighton does their bidding which makes him their darling.

Leighton tries to defend himself that is recounted in a document on the Mayor's campaign website.

Leighton said he is mayor “24 hours a day, seven days a week. I don’t spend any time at my business during regular business hours. I have people working for me that handle that.” Mr. Leighton, if you are a mayor 24/7 exactly when are your business hours? Last time I checked our calendar doesn't provide for more than 24/7. Do you have posted hours for the Mayor's office or are you like your friends in Luzerne County who make them up as they go along?

The Mayor made many pronouncements that he was above reproach in this deal. Again from the Mayor's campaign website.

Luzerne County appropriated a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant from HUD and obtained a $400,000 grant from HUD for the project. The county also obtained a $425,000 grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development to fund
renovations.

The mayor said the real estate commission went to his office and proceeds were used to pay staff or other business-related expenses.

“The bottom line is my integrity and ethical upbringing would have forced me to walk away if something was inappropriate,” Leighton said Monday. “If something had been wrong, I would have never have been involved.”

The third entry from his Mayoral campaign website.

But Leighton and county Community Development Director Andy Reilly say there was no impropriety because the city had no oversight or involvement in the project.

Leighton believes Urban is trying to drum up a negative report about him because Leighton is running against Urban’s wife, Linda Stets, in November.

Leighton, a Democrat, is a first-term mayor running against Stets, who garnered the Republican nomination.

“I’m an honest guy, and I value my integrity and ethics,” Leighton said. “It’s pure politics so he can advance his wife’s candidacy. Let’s face it.”

Mayor Leighton do you have some 'splainin to do? Using your words that "It's pure politics" please justify this donation listed
in this Winter 2007-2008 brochure from the Volunteers of America.

Pacesetters -
$1,000 to $2,499
Angeline Elizabeth Kirby Memorial
Health Center
The Bergman Foundation
The Black Horse Foundation, Inc.
Committee To Elect Tom Leighton <--------

You weren't trying to play politics with that donation were you?

Why isn't that donation from your real estate firm if the transaction with Volunteers of America had nothing to do with city business or your official capacity as Mayor? Basically you kept the money that came from the taxpayers for your own business use but used political campaign money to donate back to the organization that your real estate firm participated with in a private transaction. And you don't see a potential conflict of interest in any of this?

According to this 2008 2nd Friday Pre-Election campaign finance committee report you gave Ed Rendell $5,000.00 from your committee. This same report lists the donation to Volunteers of America for $1,000.00 on page 22 dated 05/13/2008.

In the interest of clearing up this matter why didn't you donate the entire proceeds back to Volunteers of America? Too cheap huh? Evidently politicians are worth more than volunteers in your eyes. What's that Tom? Your actions are so loud I can't hear what you are saying.

Leighton lost the arbitration award case which amounts to about $13,000.00 per Wilkes Barre firefighter but he defends a payment to his real estate firm for $51,500. Maybe the firefighters should consider a real estate career.

Mayor Leighton Has His Own Scandal

Tom Leighton tried to make an issue with John Yudichak about Bonusgate that has by all measures blown up in his face. Yudichak is no more tied to Bonusgate than happy hour is tied to a Betty Ford clinic. There's a southern saying "Don't insult the alligator before you cross the stream."

Leighton shouldn't pick on Yudichak until he vets his own record. This editorial that appeared in the Times Leader on October 9, 2009 represents that journey across the stream.

By The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Publication: The Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania)
Date: Friday, October 9 2009

Oct. 9--IN THE INTEREST of transparency and good government, Wilkes-Barre city officials should post all city-owned properties available for sale on its Web site. Ditto for city employment opportunities.

The issue of public access to information, or more precisely the lack thereof, emerged last week when it became public knowledge that Mayor Tom Leighton brokered a deal to sell the former Old River Road Bakery site to a buyer who also happens to be a campaign donor.

The 1.14-acre business property, assessed at $478,300, is slated to change hands for $38,000. Another potential buyer said he might have paid more if city officials had let him know the property was available.

Despite the mayor's assertions, the availability of this property apparently was not widely known. A cash-starved city that found it necessary to raise property taxes by 31 percent this year should optimize every opportunity to maximize returns.

Adding the Web postings to existing advertising in newspaper and real estate publications will aid in that effort while not imposing a hardship or cost to the city. City Council should take the lead on this front and make it happen.

With a widespread federal corruption probe in full swing, all Northeastern Pennsylvania school districts and municipalities should strive to make more information and documents readily available to the public -- a step to help ensure operations remain clean and above board. Ideally, job postings, meeting minutes and upcoming agenda items should be listed on every public body's Web site.

One would think that a Mayor who owns a real estate firm with an appraisal arm would know the true value of a property and seek that value for the taxpayers. It may not be Bonusgate but it sure smells of "Donorgate."

Leighton made this claim at a debate held at the Burke Auditorium in the McGowan School of Business at King’s College.

“I closed that budget deficit,” he said. “I identified problems and found solutions. I made difficult decisions even if they were politically unpopular. I believe in an open government and accountability.”

Yes, Tom you did close the deficit and your solution was a 31% tax increase. On the issue of open government and accountability I would watch out for those alligators.

Kanjorski Spokesman’s Statement Raises Concerns About Eachus’ Ties to Bonusgate

Tara Toohil - Eachus Opponent 116th

Press Release From Tara Toohil

Party officials calling into question lawmakers ties to state scandal

Hazleton, PA – Yesterday, Ed Mitchell a well-respected and highly influential person in the Democrat Party raised the issue of a local lawmakers ties to the Bonusgate scandal which used tax dollars to pay for campaigns.

Mayor Tom Leighton of Wilkes-Barre is also raising this issue. It is important to note that the individual they have attacked is not the only one tied up in this scandal.

Tarah Toohil had this to say, “Representative Todd Eachus is neck deep in this mess. Mr. Eachus has been called before the Grand Jury to testify on Bonusgate and he has refused. Some of the staffers that have been implicated in the scandal were on his payroll and as Majority Leader he has oversight of how Democratic Caucus funds are spent. Congressman Kanjorski’s spokesman Ed Mitchell and Mayor Leighton have done a public service by raising the issue and I challenge Mr. Eachus to come clean on his connections to the Bonusgate scandal. High ranking members within Eachus’s own Party are asking for answers and he should do the right thing and appear before the Grand Jury and tell the truth.”

Kanjorski's "$20,000.00 Midnight Donation" To Tom Leighton

"You mean they found out??!!!"

In a previous post SOP wrote about questionable donations to Tom Leighton's campaign when he ran for Mayor of Wilkes Barre. One of those donations was from Robert Mericle.

Robert Mericle gave a $300.00 donation on 06/10/2009 listed on page 19 and was charged by the U.S. Attorney's office on 08/13/2009. It had been common knowledge that Mr. Mericle was Participant No. 2 in a complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney on January 31, 2009 in the Luzerne County corruption scandal. Why did Tom Leighton accept the donation and why wasn't it returned?

Bill O'Boyle of the Times Leader writes an article today about a "midnight $20,000.00 donation" from a PAC associated with Paul Kanjorski to Tom Leighton's Senate campaign against State Representative John Yudichak. The real story will come out when Leighton's campaign finance report makes it to the Luzerne County website. Apparently Leighton is a little light in the fundraising arena and Kanjorski made the donation to bolster his report.

There is no secret of the love lost between Yudichak and Kanjorski after Yudichak's father stood up to a politician who has no shame and takes no blame for wasting the taxpayers' money on his own family. Mr. Yudichak had, not lets make that has the courage and human values not to accept and sit back while a politician tries to spoon feed the public on an issue that just won't go away. Kanjorski maintains that he was never charged in the Cornerstone Technologies issue and he is right about that. But he was judged by the public such that in the race between himself and Corey O'Brien the Times Leader editorial staff has not forgotten the incident and backed O'Brien in their primary battle.



If there were more Joseph Yudichak's in this world maybe the corruption in Luzerne County would have been in check a long time ago.

Look for our next post about how the House Majority Leader's assistant and campaign Treasurer doesn't know how to circulate nominating petitions.

Kanjorski PAC Gives To Leighton

Steve Urbanski at the Scranton Public Policy Examiner is reporting that Paul Kanjorski gave Tom Leighton $20,000.00 through his Citizens For Action PAC.

A Tale Of Eachus, Kanjorski, And Leighton

Here is a picture of Todd Eachus delivering money to the City of Wilkes Barre. Last time I looked Wilkes Barre isn't in his district. Evidently he likes helping out Mayor Tom Leighton more than he cares for the district he represents.

There is irony and paradox to the latest attacks by Leighton on his opponent, State Rep. John Yudichak of Nanticoke. In this article by Andrew Staub of the Times-Tribune Leighton is quoted "I have a payroll that I have to meet," Mr. Leighton said. "I cannot let our city employees go without pay in November and December, such as the state police and other state employees did during a state budget crisis when John was collecting per diems." Uhh...Tom according to records Eachus claimed over $27,000.00 in per diems last year.

Leighton's theme, which seems odd since Todd Eachus has been shopping Leighton around the district, seems to be echoed by other candidates vying for Harrisburg seats. In the 112th challenger Kevin Haggerty attacked Rep. Ken Smith over the budget impasse in this Times-Tribune article.

But at a debate Wednesday, challenger Kevin Haggerty took a direct shot at Mr. Smith, admonishing the incumbent for taking per diems during the 101-day state budget impasse, while nonprofit organizations were forced to take out loans, cut services and lay off workers to stay open.

"It was a travesty," said 37-year-old Mr. Haggerty, a Dunmore resident.

Another opponent, John Keeler, had this to say about his fellow Democratic legislators holding office. Mr. Keeler, 58, of South Scranton, said his highest priority will be holding the Legislature accountable for its "fiscal irresponsibility." He said he was outraged to learn of the multimillion-dollar budgets legislators kept for their own "incidental expenses," while Pennsylvania was in a fiscal crisis.

"There's a big frustration out there about how this government has been run," Mr. Keeler said. "I have 30 years of experience in banking and I have thorough understanding of how government finances work.

It gets better. Challenger Bob Lesh, 53, of South Scranton, and a 12-year member of the Scranton School Board, said he decided to run after learning the state had cut programs for veterans even while keeping their legislator budgets intact. His brother and son, Vietnam War veteran David J. Lesh and Iraq War veteran Robert J. Lesh Jr., respectively, both have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, he said.

"It's an embarrassment that legislators did this while they still accept per diems," Mr. Lesh said.

Mr. Haggerty said the need for reform of the General Assembly is what spurred him to enter the race and rally support to unseat Mr. Smith. His biggest priority will be to see a constitutional convention is called and the Legislature reduced in size by half.

"Careless spending, the fact that we have had a failed legislative budget process for the last seven years, it's because of an overabundance of legislators," Mr. Haggerty said.

In this article by Andrew Staub Yudichak gets a boost from Professor Tom Baldino concerning those running for the seat he is vacating. "The best candidate would be the candidate who can model John Yudichak," Baldino said. "Any Democrat who can present credentials as those being similar to John Yudichak's, that is a political philosophy or platform that would play in that district rather well."

Yudichak has relied on a record as a Harrisburg reformer, saying he stood up to party bosses while rejecting a pay raise and pension increase. And he's shook off criticism - such as his collection of per diem money despite his ownership interest in a Harrisburg home - and replaced it with a reform package that would eliminate per diems, impose term limits on legislative leaders and call for a constitutional convention.

During a forum held by the League of Women Voters at the Burke Auditorium at King's College Yudichak and Leighton had some sparks fly. Andrew Staub reports

In response to Yudichak's charges, Leighton said he "would never jeopardize" his integrity and accused the lawmaker of befriending legislators tangled in the Bonusgate scandal.

"John's part of that dome, part of that capitol," Leighton said. "So if the City Hall is part of (problems in) Luzerne County, then you must be part of the capitol problem. Don't paint me with a broad brush when you're in the same atmosphere."

Yudichak bristled at Leighton's suggestion.

"How absurd," Yudichak said. "That's like saying that Tiger Woods' wife is at fault for Tiger Woods' infidelity because she happened to live in the same house.

Mr. Leighton the fact remains that Todd Eachus is in charge of that dome as House Majority Leader. Unless you forgot your position as Mayor you know the buck stops at the top.

Over at the LuLac Political Letter Mr. Yonki writes Yudichak’s issue is the property in Harrisburg he uses with per deim money. Yudichak has been vocal in his demands that the Legislature police itself more but critics say he might be coming to that realization too late.

Unlike Eachus who owns a home in Harrisburg with his wife Yudichak had a twenty-five percent interest in his home which has has since divested himself. The same can't be said of Eachus.

A parallel story running here that is not reported by the press is Paul Kanjorski's support for Tom Leighton. Eachus has an ax to grind with Yudichak over Michael Veon. Evidently Eachus and Kanjorski are putting their political efforts behind Leighton. Of course everyone remembers the story that aired on Fox News concerning Kanjorski's earmark scandal. Jopseh Yudichak, the father of John Yudichak, told the story in the interview.



There is a report that Kanjorski's campaign contributed $20,000 to Leighton. It's his way of getting back at Yudichak for his help to Lou Barletta.

It is amazing how the Democrats are attacking each other on ethics, a sort of election cannabilization if you will. The Republicans get to sit this one out and watch the circus.